The first two weeks

Welcome to life as a new mom! I can't believe that we're here. That two weeks have gone by. They actually let us take a baby home! Are they nuts? We don't know what we're doing.

I'm tired.
I'm in love.
I'm hungry as if it's third trimester again.
I'm thirsty all the time.
I get the best cuddles in the world.
3 am feedings may be exhausting, but his cute little smiles make it all worth it.

Things I've learned:
Everything is a phase. Take time to just enjoy every minute. It's hard. It's exhausting. I've never done a job as hard or as rewarding as being a mother. I feel like I am whole and doing exactly what I should be in this life.

These first two weeks have flown by. Gilles intended to take 2 weeks off work so we could get settled, figure things out and be a family of 3 (or 5 depending on how you look at it). It was absolutely wonderful having him home. He kept me fed, kept the dogs walked. Held Gabriel so I could sleep. Did laundry, changed diapers and was the biggest breastfeeding support I could have.
We had visitors nearly every day but no one stayed long. Just a pop by, a cuddle, a little help and then they disappear.

The second week, Gilles went back to work on the Thursday/Friday. Not intended, but I felt like I could do this, like everything was working, and I could manage. It was successful! Those first two days alone were really good. Then we had the weekend together before he went back to work full time. Having a little "trial" was really good for both of us. He got to catch up at work, I got to see if I was capable of caring for our son alone (had to be!) and then we regrouped at the end of the week.

Everything changes so fast. Every day there is something new to learn, a new skill Gabriel learns, or I learn. We are still figuring each other out but so far so good.